Kibble Drop for needy pets: For the second year in a row, Philadelphia and surrounding area animal shelters and rescues will receive a special holiday gift on Thursday (Dec. 12)  - a large donation of pet food courtesy of a 17-year-old Oregon girl and Ellen DeGeneres' pet food company.

 Mimi Ausland of Bend, Oregon is the founder of Freekibble.com, a web site she started at age 11. Site visitors answer a daily trivia question about pets. Each answer earns 10 pieces of kibble for homeless pets. Today the site gets 125,000 visitors a day.

After learning about Mimi's work, DeGeneres and Halo, the pet food company of which she is part owner, became the official kibble sponsor of Freekibble.com.
Shelters and rescues across the U.S. are chosen to receive donations this holiday season during an 12-city, holiday "Kibble Drop" tour. In each city, donations are made in honor of an inspiring pet, organization or effort. This year the drop celebrates wonderful rescued duo Jeffrey, the blind pit bull puppy and his brother Jermaine, who serves as his seeing eye pup.
The event takes place at Doggie Style at 315 Market St. at 10 a.m.
Rabbit fur-free holiday - PETA protestors will be out in force at noon  Thursday (Dec. 12) to urge holiday shoppers to steer clear of rabbit fur. Along with what will no doubt be a colorful if disturbing giant "rabbit," PETA members will gather outside The Gallery at Market East (Market and N. 10th Sts) holding a banner that reads "Angora Hurts Rabbits. "
PETA Asia's undercover investigation of 10 angora rabbit farms in China—the source of 90 percent of the world's angora—revealed that rabbits are regularly tortured for their fur.
(Buyer beware: That fur you think is cruelty-free may not be faux afterall. The Humane Society of the United States recently released a report showing that supposedly "faux" rabbit fur in handbags sold at Kohls was in fact made of real rabbit fur.)

Humane League holiday fundraiser and gala - Hundreds of animal lovers are expected at the Philadelphia Ethical Society in Rittenhouse Square on December 14 to celebrate The Humane League’s advocacy work for farmed animals. Keynote speakers include author Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Paul Shapiro, vice president of Farm Animal Protection at The Humane Society of the United States. Guests will enjoy food, beer, and wine; a range of silent auction prizes; and live entertainment. Ethical Society Building; 1906 S. Rittenhouse Square; 7p-10p.Tickets ($25 advance/$30 at door) can be purchased online at http://www.thehumaneleague.com/party.

ACCT Christmas adoptions and Santa photo shoot - Animal Care and Control Team Philly will be hosting our third annual Santa Paws adoption event featuring discounted adoptions and photos with Santa on Dec. 21 and 22 Get your pet dressed up and head to the shelter between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday for your chance to have your pets pose with Saint Nick. For only $5, you will get a photo print to take home. Looking to adopt? Adoptions will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and will have great deals on all pets. ACCT Philly shelter is located in North Philadelphia at 111 W. Hunting Park Ave. For more information and to see currently available animals, visit www.acctphilly.org.